Dragon Passport

Check out all the great things happening in the Den!

There are some great family events in our Community Resources and Events Section! Check them out!

With the uncertainty of school closures, text messaging is the easiest and fastest way for the school to communicate with you. Receive text messages from the school for immediate access to what is going on!

• Important messages
• Upcoming Events
• Announcements
• School Cancellations and Delays

In 9th grade health students are learning about nutrition with processed foods and whole foods being the focus. While looking outside of the classroom, Dr. Soar's compost bin can be seen. In class students were given information about composting but then one student said, " Wait, the food really turns into dirt?". Thank you to Dr. Soar for a hands on demonstration on how composting benefits the planet while we are learning about how whole foods benefit our bodies.

In Dr. Soar's Chemistry class 11th and 12th grade students were tasked with designing an individual pest management plan for a cranberry bog, and afterwards creating cranberry sauce.

Product tasting included.

Mrs. Petroski's tech class has finished their bridges. Take a look at the great work that they have done. Each bridge was constructed with common day items, and each student had to create a design, and build their bridge model. While being built, students had to purchase necessary materials with money that was provided as they attended class (on-time), participated and used proper work techniques. Fines were assessed if improper work environments were detected (Goggles are a must)! If you look closely at the pictures you can see what each bridge cost, and the results of how much each bridge was able to hold! Great work Dragons!

Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to support our PJ for Kids team. With your support we raised over $1097!

Every dollar donated goes to support children who are battling cancer! We are already thinking of how to make next year twice as grand!

Educators from China came to visit International and learn about the International Baccalaureate program. While here, they were able to get questions answered about student life-school balance, how our IB program works, what qualities our students are learning while attending here and more. Students then guided them on a tour of our school. Before their departure, the school was gifted with a traditional Chinese loom that represents happiness, harmony and health. We look forward to working with them in the future and wish them save travels.

The Dragon Band and our new Dragon Choir hosted a full auditorium of parents, staff and friends for their winter concert. They have worked very hard to make this the best concert ever and boy did they succeed! This concert also brought in the most alumnus that have rejoined the band on stage to play our favorite song "Believe"!

Listen to "BELIEVE" below!

Each month at International, we focus on one of the IB Learner Profile traits, and celebrate scholars and teachers who exemplify them. As partners in education, we love sharing ways that you can support the development of these traits at home.

• • This month, International’s featured IB Learner Profile trait is Thinker. As thinkers, we use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

    
    

    Developing thinking skills doesn’t just happen in school! Here are ways to inspire “thinking habits” outside of the classroom:

    
    

    • Ask your student to think of solutions to problems or challenges that they face – help them to think through these issues rather than telling them what to do right away. And then listen to them as they talk through their thinking.

    
    

    To help them get started when they get stuck, ask them...

    • How should we begin?

    • What could be done differently?

    • In what other ways could this be done?

    • I hadn’t thought of that. Tell me more about it.

    • How did you figure that out?

    
    

    • Pose real-life challenges to your student:

    • ”I’m not sure how we can be ready to leave for school on time. What can we do to make sure that happens?”

    • ”I’m not sure how many snacks to buy for the party we are throwing. How can we estimate what we will need and how much it will all cost?”

One of the features that makes the Middle Years Program (MYP) so unique is its emphasis on international-mindedness. In each course in grades 6-10, teachers plan their units with global contexts in mind. Teachers select a specific area within a global context for each unit.

Global contexts provide shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally-minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement.

Here are the six global contexts, with a brief description for each:

Attendance Matters ALL YEAR LONG

• The school day is from 7:30-2:05.
• Scholars missing school for 3 cores or more will be considered absent for the day.
• Attendance matters for all classes so if a scholar can only attend 1 or 2 cores for an excused reason, we highly recommend they do.

Scholars absent more than 10% of the school year (18 days) are considered CHRONICALLY ABSENT by the State. The first 9 absences are excused with parent communication to the school. Ten and over will require specific documentation for reasons listed in the handbook (located on our website).

High School Scholars: Loss of credit for a class can occur after 12 absences (Half Year Courses) or 24 absences (Full Year Courses). Please contact your Counselor to discuss how credit can be recovered.

Please remind your child of the importance of waking up early and being in school daily. If you need support and resources please contact Ms. Gibson at sgibson@crec.org or their school counselor (listed below).

DROP OFF:

Families must ENTER FROM the BLUE HILLS AVE ENTRANCE. The Woodland Ave entrance is for buses only from 7:15-7:45 AM and 1:45-2:30 PM

PLEASE DO NOT PASS BUSES

EARLY PICK UP:

If you are picking up your scholar early, please be at the school no later than 1:30PM. Visitors will not be allowed in the building after 1:30PM to ensure the safety of our scholars.

• Doctor's appts during the day: If you are coming to pick up your scholar early, no need to call, please just come into the main office and sign your scholar out. We will call him/her from class upon your arrival!

PICKUP AFTER DISMISSAL:

If you anticipate that you will be picking up your scholar after 2:15PM, PLEASE let us know. We are finding that scholars are being picked up well after school has dismissed. As a reminder, we do not have after school care, and ALL scholars MUST be picked up no later than 3:00PM. And no later than 11AM on early release days.

CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION:

• Contact the Main office before 12:30PM, this will give amble time to our Office staff to get the message to your scholar.

The main office lobby will be closed from 1:45-2:15 PM, with exceptions ONLY for emergencies.

If your child is taking an alternative bus home, please contact CREC TRANSPORTATION at 860-524-4077. They will then give the school permission to allow the scholar on the requested bus.

Please provide Transportation with the following information by 11AM.

• Bus number
• Bus Route Stop and Town
• Parent name and phone number

Congratulations to all of our 2024-2025 Elected Leaders from our Elections. Leadership meets have started and we are already seeing the effects of such great leaders in our Den!

Thank you to the Class of 2026 for sponsoring our Holiday Dress down week!

Look on social media for daily pics!

After-school activities have begun!

If you signed up for a bus, you should have received bus information. We ask that all parent pick up be at the student entrance as the main area of the school will be closed.

Cars should refrain from entering the bus pick-up area.

Next session of After-School activities will be out shortly!

Do you have an idea for a club?

See Mr. Allocca or Ms. Mendez

Winter Sports officially begin on December 2nd!

Click the picture to access Final Forms, Full Schedules and More.

If you have sport questions or concerns please email:

Mr. Norris (High School), Mr. Martin (Middle School)

As a reminder:

Students are NOT allowed to stay after school for sporting events. They must leave the premises and return with an adult.

Tickets will be electronic! All attendees MUST have a ticket to enter ALL home games buy purchasing on GOFAN!

More information will be coming soon!

Reporting an absence: email AIS ATTENDANCE or 860-242-7834

School Counselors:

Ms. Taylor Clarke- Grade 6 A-L and Grade 8

Ms. Tania Thibault- Grade 6 M-Z and Grade 7

Mr. Mark Field - A-L Grades 9-12

Ms. Monika Chudy - M-Z Grades 9-12

Administration

Mr. Ben Simon - Middle School Dean of Students

Mrs. Eleisha LeMay - Middle School Assistant Principal

Ms. Raynette Holmes - High School Dean of Students

Mr. Tom Craig - High School Assistant Principal

Mrs. Yesenia Hernandez - Principal